Limits Sought on GMO Corn as Pest Resistance Grows

March 9, 2015 4:14 PM

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U.S. regulators for the first time are proposing limits on the planting of some genetically engineered corn to combat a voracious pest that has evolved to resist the bug-killing crops, a potential blow to makers of biotech seeds.

The measures proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency represent a bold step to thwart the corn rootworm, a bug that ranks among the most expensive crop threats to U.S. corn farmers.

My problem - no - the nation's problem with the example of this situation is that we again have the "experts" with the powers of the Federal Administrative State making determinations that could be (and probably would be) more efficiently, effectively achieved through separate innovations of individuals, technicians and scientists who have the immediate interests in the variety of issues involved.

More GMO is NOT going to solve the problem. It has already proved its failure So has the intensive mono culture farming. Short term, crop rotation, combined / mixed crop cultivation and patches of "wild land" is needed to restore the balance of species. Long term, we seriously need to adress the extreme over-consumption and wasting of resources of our time. Also we MUST adress the rapidly growing world population. During the 20th century the world's population has raised from app 1,65 billion to 6,5 billion!!! If we don't care to manage these issues, our ecosystem ( that we so vulnarably depend on ) will eventually collapse

The ante GMO pest control methods are still available, but require higher management skill but far lower input costs.The GMO peddlers are dependent upon the Massive Government transfer payments to Ethanol welfare recipients, When Organic fuel subsidies are halted by a partial return to sanity of the electorate, 300.00 $ an Acre seed costs can't be paid for with 1.50$ a bushel (300$/acre grosses) corn prices.When my wife chose me, was she practicing Genetic engineering....If your wife cuckolds you, is she selecting superior genetics?

Let me see if I understand this, EPA is involved and that is a good thing? The best out come would be to reduce the size of the EPA bureaucracy by about 65%. The bureaucracy unfortunately expands to meet its expanding needs.

hhmm... tough one. Normally I'm one to keep the EPA and Fed government out but when we are tinkering at the genetics level and messing with mother nature - I don't know. The unintended consequences at the molecular level seem to remind of a sci-fi movie. Maybe I'm just being paranoid.... I'm with Green Peace on this one.

Every ear of corn grown is the result of hundreds of years of human manipulation of the plant. I fail to see the difference between modern GMO and non-GMO corn, given that it looked like a common grass before we started messing with it. There's a market for both, some people need cheap food and others have the luxury of choice.

By and large GMO has gotten a bad rap. That being said, it appears that nature will eventually counter a single intervention by man and that a more organized approach is called for. What I find interesting is that we have here prima facie evidence for the theory of evolution. I wonder how many of these farmers fret about the root worm but don't connect the dots to how it evolved its resistance.It is that kind of incoherent thinking that allows them to advocate not following a prudent scientific approach (rotate your crops) as opposed to the stultifying choice of creating even more resistant root worms by continually planting only corn. It is reminiscent of anti vaccers call for freedom of choice to not vaccinate their kids even as they put everyone else's kids at risk.

We don't need more regulation from the EPA, we need to regulate the EPA. GMO corn probably came about because the EPA forced the enability to use pesticides. So GMO corn was invented. Now the bugs are building a resistance to GMO corn, and the EPA wants to regulate that too. Where does this stop? Farmers know best, and the EPA doesn't. Regulate the EPA, or just get rid of them altogether, and let the farmers (backbone of this country) fix the problems. Farmers want to make money with their crops, so they will figure it out. More government will only make things worse.

So, the miracle seed is not living up to promises? No only is it altering the Eco System, poisoning whatever eats it and make it sick (people AND farm animals), but now the pests are resisting it and NOT dying - meaning we have super-pests that will be harder to kill.Oh well, Monsanto, Dow, etc., have made their billions; what’s the problem,eh? <sarcasm>

Proper stewardship of all technologies is important to their beneficial use.Bt corn and corn rootworm insertions are the same.Rotation has always been prudent and generally accepted as a best management practice in crops.Farmers also rotate chemistry and insertions because it just makes life easier.Corn following corn is being reduced in this country because those astronomical prices are gone.Midwestern rotations typically were predominantly half corn half soybeans and the mix is likely heading that way again without regulation.I personally do not believe that constitutionally the government can mandate what I grow on my personal land.Folks, this is an entrepreneurial society, I must be free to produce what I prefer on my land in my business.The same folks who outlawed big gulp in New York are interested in controlling me and I really find it distasteful.

I am surprised that Monsanto and the others are resistant to the plan. This is the kind of production tool that if you don't manage it correctly it can loose it's effectiveness. I would think seed companies would want to protect this goose that's laying their golden eggs.I agree that it would be better if the EPA stayed out of the issue and farmers/seed companies developed the plans themselves. Rotating crops is really a better practice anyway.These products are completely safe for humans. Their use is really a win for the environment and food and farmer safety.

Crop rotation won't fix the problem. One of the reason's GM corn, which is relatively expensive, was adopted so quickly is that that rootworm beetles and other pests had already evolved to survive not just corn-soy rotations but also 3 way corn-wheat-soy rotations. By the way, the GM corn replaced the use of organo-phosphate insecticides which are non-pest specific and far more toxic to off target pests. Limit the GM options and organo-phosphates make a comeback.A couple final thoughts: If you think corn was expensive a few years ago wait until EPA effectively bans growing it in consecutive years.And, does EPA not understand this because they are obviously out of their area of expertise and are driven by hubris, or are they driven by some other agenda?